Butler to miss rest of season, more UVA players injured at BC

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia’s defense continued to be decimated by injuries in Saturday’s 27-24 loss at Boston College.

While “bandit” Kam Butler was already out with an injury from the previous week, Coach Tony Elliott revealed after the BC game that Butler, a sixth-year player, underwent surgery this past Thursday and is out for the rest of the season.

Butler is the second player on UVA’s defense that had their season cut short. Previously, defensive tackle Olasunkonmi Agunloye suffered injuries to both knees during a freak accident while celebrating on the sidelines in the Cavaliers’ season-opening loss to Tennessee. Agunloye was ruled out for the remainder of the season.

In the BC game, two more UVA defenders were injured. Defensive back Dre Walker, a freshman, suffered a knee injury, and while Elliott had not received a full assessment of the problem immediately after the game, he was optimistic.

“I know that [Walker] wasn’t able to come out in the second half,” Elliott said. “I know it’s a knee. I’m not sure the extent. They didn’t indicate that it was overly serious, but I won’t know that until we get back and get a good evaluation in Charlottesville.”

Also, graduate transfer defensive back Malcolm Greene was injured during a violent, fourth-quarter collision with BC receiver Ryan O’Keefe, who was taken to the hospital for further examination. Greene appeared stunned after the hit.

“That looks like it’s going to be at least a week,” Elliott said. “Hopefully we get good news on [O’Keefe]. It was definitely a scary moment.”

O’Keefe suffered a neck injury but has been discharged from Mass General Hospital and was back on BC’s campus on Sunday morning.

Elliott indicated that he hoped to get defensive end Ben Smiley (concussion) back this week for the William & Mary game, along with safety Lex Long.